Quota protesters to hold human chain Wednesday

08 May, 2018 17:22:00

Quota reform protesters will form human chains at colleges and universities across the country on Wednesday (May 9) as the government is yet to publish a gazette based on prime minister’s assurance of abolishing quota system in civil service.

Nurul Haque, co-convener of the General Students’ Rights Protection Council, a platform of students that led the recent quota reform movement, came up with the announcement at a press briefing in front of the central library of Dhaka University on Tuesday morning.

On February 17, students and job seekers started the movement to press for their five-point demand that include introduction of unified age limit in government jobs, review of quota system in government recruitment process, including Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS) examination, stopping taking benefit by job seekers under the same quota, filling vacant posts from merit list if the candidates from quota are not found and fixation of 10 percent quota instead of existing 56 percent.

However, the quota reform protest turned into violent movement after April 8.

Following the movement, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on April 11 announced at the National Parliament that there will be no quota system in government jobs anymore.